In David Butler’s 1951 musical Lullaby of Broadway, entertainer Melinda Howard (Doris Day) travels to New York to reunite with her Broadway star mother (Gladys George). Her mother, however, is not the success Melinda believes her to be, and a growing circle of people scramble to hide the truth.

If there is a reason that Lullaby of Broadway has not enjoyed the fame of longevity of other Hollywood musicals, it is probably its muddled plot. The above summary does not mention Melinda’s romance with fellow singer Tom Farnham (Gene Nelson), or her friendship with Broadway investor Adolph Hubbell (S.Z. Sakall), or the specific machinations of actors-turned-servants Lefty (Billy de Wolfe) and Gloria (Anna Triola). The screenplay by Earl Baldwin was written to accommodate the titular song, and reportedly took inspiration from it, but what Baldwin failed to secure was a clear line through the material.

As a result, Lullaby of Broadway is a musical of fits and starts. Parts work, parts fail, and while the overall result does not feel like old Hollywood at its best, individual elements glimmer with charm, or amusement, or simple aesthetic appeal.

Doris Day was always an actor with a vibrant and appealing presence, and she is delightful to watch here. Gene Nelson, as her romantic suitor, feels less impressive: for one thing he’s dubbed by another actor whenever he sings, and his dancing feels just a little under par. His character has also dated rather badly. In 1951 his enthused seduction of Melinda might have seemed charming; in 2025 it reeks of harassment.

Billy de Wolfe and Anna Triola are superb in a pair of comedic supporting roles. Their banter works wonderfully, and Triola in particular seems a great comic talent. Sadly she did not act on screen for long; after Lullaby of Broadway she transitioned to live comedy before retiring altogether to raise her children. Watching her here, therefore, seems a rare treat. S.Z. Sakall also presents a little comic gem as theatre financier Adolph Hubbell.

As was common at the time Lullaby of Broadway is based around a series of pre-existing popular songs, notably the title track but also Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things””, George Gershwin’s “Somebody Loves Me”, and several others. It is a pleasant collection, and well choreographed in key places – particularly an inventive dance routine between Day and Nelson based around a pair of glass doors.

1951 was a year rich with hit musicals, including An American in Paris, Royal Wedding, Show Boat, and others. In the presence of such quality competition, it is no surprise that Lullaby of Broadway has not endured in such a perennial fashion. It is an entertaining confection, but in the end it lacks anything memorable or iconic, and its messy narrative makes it all to easy to ignore or forget. Doris Day would move on to bigger and brighter things.